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Great to hear from all the hangers heading out this spring. Have a great hike. I'll be looking for your journals.

Hey Youngblood, That is a cool insight the way you felt long after your thru. I went from Springer to Neel just last spring with my daughter. Since then we (variuos members of the family) have covered Georgia to Plum Orchard Gap Shelter in two more visits. Funny thing, all that I can think about is how do I arrange things to do a thru without having to wait 10 years. Is it possible to feel like a thru hiker just taking a break if you haven't even thru hiked. Ha Ha

I have been folowing Karls journal. Love it.

By the way just ordered a Speer 3 and snugfit this morning. Great sale going on now.

Once again thanks to all on this site. You all get a newby up and running fast.

Is it possible to feel like a thru hiker just taking a break if you haven't even thru hiked.

Sure, it is all a state of mind. Thru hiker is just a label for a long distance hiker to me. Section hikers hiking weeks or weekends go through many of the same things, especially ones having to resupply on the fly. All of it is shorter hikes along the way where your immediate goal is to get to the next stopping point. Most everyone takes some time off along the way... some more than others. I think the longer you are out there at one time, the more your world revolves around the trail. But that isn't necessarily a good thing, it is just different. In some ways it is easier because you only have to get in trail shape once and don't have to worry about getting to and from the trail/home as often.

Sure, it is all a state of mind. Thru hiker is just a label for a long distance hiker to me. Section hikers hiking weeks or weekends go through many of the same things, especially ones having to resupply on the fly. All of it is shorter hikes along the way where your immediate goal is to get to the next stopping point. Most everyone takes some time off along the way... some more than others. I think the longer you are out there at one time, the more your world revolves around the trail. But that isn't necessarily a good thing, it is just different. In some ways it is easier because you only have to get in trail shape once and don't have to worry about getting to and from the trail/home as often.

Thanks for the reply, it helps.....theres just something about free wandering through those mountains. I get you on the only having to get in shape once thought. I feel it every time but also never feel better than the next week or so after. I have three children that think it would be cool to do a thru with Dad after college. We have the best times on the AT. We will see what the future brings. I will be on the trail between Springer and NOC with various combinations of young folks in March (college spring break) and April (public School spring break). They will be sharing tents and splitting the weight but I will be hanging in my sweet, sweet hammock.

Well for my hike over spring break I finally decided to take a pad and leave the underquilt at home. It is nearly 3 lbs in it's compression bag and takes up too much room otherwise. My new landau pad is 9 oz. So I have a 30 oz pack, a 22 oz sleeping bag, a 32 oz hammock with suspension, a 14 oz tarp with suspension, and a 9 oz pad. total: 107 oz - Big 4 less than 7 lbs!

the WM bag is a 20 degree, but I haven't tested it in my hammock since it hasn't been near that... I did get the 1/4 landau and I think someone said it was fine to 20... I shall see... Are you thinking I should keep that 3 lb quilt?